News

European Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration Magnus Brunner launched the new IBM PAK €5 million EU-funded project in Islamabad, Pakistan to strengthen integrated border management and risk analysis. Concluding the National Risk Analysis Summit on 13 October 2026, the launch marks strengthened cooperation between the EU Pakistan and on migration and border management. Co-organised by ICMPD and Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), the Summit highlighted the progress made by the Agency’ Risk Analysis Unit (RAU), also established with EU support.

ICMPD Deputy Director General Sedef Dearing joined high-level discussion on the role of migration dialogues as catalyst for cooperation in the face of mounting pressures and security and geopolitical tensions globally. At the sidelines of the 81^st session of the United Nations General Assembly, Ms Dearing, along with co-hosts Malta, Jordan, the Syrian Arab Republic and Denmark discussed the need to strengthen the resilience of migration governance through sustained, demand-driven partnerships.

Over 100 participants from 23 countries and 10 partner organisations, along with 13 private-sector partners were hosted in Islamabad on 16-17 September 2026 to strengthen private-sector engagement in skills-based labour migration partnerships. For the first time in the Working Group’s meetings, the private sector is directly at the centre of its discussions, where participants examined how labour-market demand can be better matched with skills development, qualification recognition and fair recruitment across the Silk Routes region.

The fifth Regional Exchange Meeting of Migrant Resource Centre (MRC) government partners took place in Islamabad on 14-16 September 2026. The meeting brought together government counterparts and representatives from Bangladesh, Iraq, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan to exchange experiences, strengthen regional cooperation and mark the 10^th anniversary of the MRCs.

ICMPD joined the Sri Lanka government in hosting the Conference on Combatting and Addressing Trafficking of Human Beings today, renewing commitment to prevention, victim protection, and coordinated action. To commemorate the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, more than 80 representatives of government, law enforcement and protection authorities, National Anti-Trafficking Task Force, and High Commissions and Embassies joined civil society, academia, development partners, international organisations, media, and survivor-support organisations.

The Government of Iraq, with support from the Kingdom of the Netherlands, opened yesterday the fourth Migrant Resource Centre (MRC) in Iraq in Basra, to strengthen migration governance in Iraq by providing potential migrants, returnees and their families with access to reliable information, counselling and referral services. Implemented by ICMPD, the MRC will also promote safe and legal migration, and raise awareness on the risks of irregular migration and threats of human trafficking. 

The Swedish Ministry of Justice hosted the opening of the Unity Hub in Stockholm for Ukrainians holding temporary protection in Sweden. On 15 June 2026, Minister Johan Forssell, Sweden’s Minister for Migration, and Deputy Minister Ilona Havronska of Ukraine’s Ministry for Social Policy, Family and Unity led the opening ceremonies together with ICMPD Director General Susanne Raab.

Statement of ICMPD on the implementation of the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum

The European Union and the Ministry of Labour, Social Security and Migration of the Kyrgyz Republic, and ICMPD opened the second Migrant Resource Centre (MRC) in Kyrgyzstan on 22 May 2026. The Centre will expand access to services for potential migrants across the region on safe and legal migration, and raise awareness on the risks of irregular migration and threats of human trafficking.

Less than a month into the official roll-out of the European Union Pact on Migration and Asylum, ICMPD commits to support the implementation of one of the foremost reforms in European migration and asylum policy. Following its work with Member States in developing their National Implementation Plans (NIP), ICMPD has been working to align national systems and procedures with the requirements of the EU Pact on asylum procedures, border security, screening, Solidarity responsibility mechanisms, and protecting vulnerable persons. 

The European Union Ambassador to Uzbekistan and the Austrian Federal Minister for European and International Affairs and the Federal Minister of the Interior visited the Migrant Resource Centre (MRC) in Tashkent on 7 May 2026. EU Ambassador Toivo Klaar, Austrian Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger and Interior Minister Gerhard Karner, were joined by ICMPD Deputy Director General Sedef Dearing; along with MRC counsellors and project coordinators, and Austrian media.

Exercise at the Romanian external border prepares Member States for migrant arrivals exceeding reception and processing capacities in asylum centres

Indian Minister of External Affairs Dr Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, European Commission Executive Vice-President Henna Virkkunen, and ICMPD Director General Susanne Raab launched the European Legal Gateway Office in India on 18 February 2026.

In 2025, EU Member States recorded a 26% decrease in irregular arrivals and a 21% decrease in asylum applications. It is the first marked decline in these figures in many years, and the International Centre for Migration Policy Development’s (ICMPD) Migration Outlook report, released today, says that this should provide momentum to the EU’s Asylum and Migration Pact implementation.

Susanne Raab joins the International Centre for Migration Policy Development as Director General, effective 1 January 2026.